Katy Kauffman

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and they shall call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us).Matthew 1:23 ESV

Many years before His birth, Isaiah foretold that Jesus would be born and that He would be called “Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.” Jesus didn’t come to earth just to be our Savior, He came to become our Lord. He came as Friend, as God Himself. He is our Helper, our Sustainer, our Protector, and our Provider. He is our Healer, full of mercy and grace. He especially is our Love. He is most assuredly the God Who is with us.

As believers we find all this is true in different times, places, and situations. Through His Holy Spirit, Jesus dwells with us. No matter what we are going through, He is in our midst. Guiding us, comforting us, loving us.

I meet once a month with a dear and trusted friend. Her name is Caroline. We share in confidence the things which tug at our hearts. We laugh, too. We talk about the beach and pedicures. Good food, favorite authors, pastors, and Bible studies are also in the mix. She loans me fine books from her library and we pray together.

Once, when an evening reached well spent before we had actually begun to pray, Caroline said we needn’t be dismayed. She directed me to Malachi 3:16 (KJV):

Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another:And the Lord hearkened, and heard it;And a book of remembrance was written before himFor them that feared the LordAnd that thought upon his name.

This weekend more than ever I wish I had the language skills to understand Spanish. We were working in a community in Mexico, and many times throughout the day I was asked questions that I could not answer. And even when I kind of got what they were saying to me, I lacked the vocabulary to respond in their language. We made it through though. They, with their patience, and me, with pantomime and baby-talk. This was not the best-case scenario for building a relationship.

My own relationship with the Bible has had the same moments. The words, even though written in my language, were foreign to my ear. I read and listened, but much of it did not make sense. But over time, I began to catch on to some words and phrases along with the ideas behind them. This didn’t happen overnight. Much like language learning, I had to spend time reading and listening to grasp hold to their meaning.

A plane ticket is a promise. It’s the promise of a destination. The promise of adventure. For me, my plane ticket to Florida this month is the promise of meeting writers at the Florida Christian Writers Conference and having one of the best adventures of the year.

When I arrive at my flight’s gate, I count on my boarding pass to work and to allow me to board the plane. I count on the flight attendants to bring me Sprite to soothe my motion-sickness-prone tummy, and (with a few prayers) I depend on the pilots to land the plane safely in Orlando.

A promise is something we hold on to, a guarantee. As humans, we make promises and we do our best to keep them. But we can’t guarantee every promise, because we have weaknesses and life happens. Emergencies surprise us. Our own strength fails.

Pain. That’s what I associate with winter, even in North Georgia. If I’m not careful, the cold can bring pain to my hands and head, and it can cause sinus infections that last for weeks. The cold temperatures translate into four or five layers of clothing; a colorful array of gloves, scarves, and hats; regular doses of hot chocolate; and watching movies underneath my snuggie (a soft, blue blanket with sleeves).

I’m a sunshine girl, so I also have to guard my attitude from turning as gray as the clouds above. Yesterday the fresh snowfall lit up my study with a radiant white light. It’s nice when God gives us some sunshine in the midst of a cold winter.

The soul has its winters too. We go through periods of isolation, coldness, or seclusion. Life’s trials can weather us, causing our joy to fade or our strength to diminish. But He who releases heaven’s storehouses of snow also shares with His children treasures of joy, peace, and grace. Do you need a little more warmth this winter?

Today a gentle snow falls. Large clusters of flakes tumble earthward, holding hands and dancing to a muted tune only they can hear. It must be warmer today. I put on my coat and head down the snow-cloaked road.

It’s so quiet my crunchy footsteps resound irreverently across the wintry expanse. When I reach the hilltop, I stop. A profound stillness envelops me. I strain to hear something … anything. There’s nothing—not the rustle of crisp, brown oak leaves, not the cheerful call of the chickadees, not a whisper from the wind. My whole world pays silent homage to God.

It's crunch time. Shopping for Christmas presents and groceries. Last minute laundry and decorating and preparations. So much to do with not enough time!

Come away for five minutes, and let your soul be refreshed in the awe of Christmas. Our team of writers has contributed to a Refresh issue that will help you to celebrate the Savior in this busy season--in this busy weekend!

Click on the link below and let the magazine load for a couple of minutes. Then scroll to the Contents page, and click on any article title to immediately start reading. It's our prayer that the articles and devotions you find will connect your heart more strongly to God and His word, and make your Christmas celebration even more joyful. From all of us at Lighthouse Bible Studies and the Refresh team of writers, Merry Christmas!